Nick’s review published on Letterboxd:
I LIKE IT MORE THAN THE FIRST!
This was a great sequel! Tim Burton managed not only to capture the same atmosphere and aesthetic of the first movie, but also modernize the 80s classic and introduce a whole new generation to the bureaucratic world of the undead.
Let's start off strong... Is this as good as the original? In my personal opinion; no. But it's close in its own sequel-ly way. This is a movie that doesn't disappoint; it delivers both nostalgia and satisfaction because its crafted by the same people with the very same dose of love. It has the wackiness of the original, the chunky yet hilarious humor and let's face it... Batman's there too!
It literally checks every box. Paying homage? Yes. Introducing new, equally fun characters? Yes. Providing a new, very fun narrative? Also yes. So, what's not to love about it?
Burton's innocent yet dark world, is as colorful and playful as ever. The Halloween aesthetic is fitting and indulging. The practical looking CGI is on spot the whole damn time. Honestly, I loved this movie.
My only problem is the number of subplots running at the same time. By the end, I felt the hella stitched, vigorously dead yet super feminine presence of Monica Bellucci to be almost wasted entirely. Her character was built to be a threatening, terrifying antagonist that is literally just wandering here and there until the very final moments of the third act. At the same page, the dead father, annoying step father, mysterious youth romance, funeral/ marriage plots are overfilling the plot, in a way where by the end they all feel somewhat incomplete. Burton doesn't leave any questions unanswered, but it was just a bit much for the runtime.
Other than that, the fact that we got to see the Juice himself yet again on the IMAX screen is a wonder of its own.The always "groom to be" is a vibe of his own and I'm here for every millisecond of it. The eerie atmosphere surrounding the striped, moldy demon is unmatched, and Burton delivered that to the fullest.
Winona Ryder is always a charming pleasure and her character's evolvement doesn't feel rushed or forced. In the contrary feels quite fitting.
Jenna Ortega, in a Wednesday fashion, is clearly in a territory she feels comfortable with and we can obviously tell. She has no problem being the antisocial, princess of the macabre she is and make a totally believable descendant of THE Lydia Deetz.
Willem Dafoe is a hilarious addition. He looks like Two-face, has zero idea on how to be a cop, and boy did he bring strong Carson Clay vibes!
And of course, my dear "Kevin" is as delightful as always, submerged in her eccentric art and peculiar definition of mourning. Delia Deetz, is truly one of a kind.
Conclusively, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" is an instantly classic Burton, that feels like a progress of the first story rather than a dry, money grabbing, nostalgia bait of a sequel. I LOVED it!
By the freaking way... the wedding? What a sequence that was!
